Looking at buying a cheap tire changer,are they any good?

[Fish along]

I see these 125 dollar tire changers at canadian tire are they any good?Iwas thinking of using it for lawnmower tires mostly. Thanks for any replies.:)

[Au revoir, Gopher]

You mean something like this one?
https://www.princessauto.com/en/product/PA0009083163

When I was a kid I used something similar that my father had made. These days I just use a jackall to break the bead and a couple pickle forks to get the tire off/on the rim.

ARG

[W921]

The princess auto one works on 16" truck tires. Younger you are the better to use it.

[colvert]

It may be OK to remove the tire from the rim but how do you pop the tire back on the rim?

[TyzToyz]

These tire changers work very well on steel wheels. They do however love to dig into aluminum rims. The bar that comes with the changer is used to remove the tire and there is the other end of the bar for putting the tire back on the rim.
Smaller ATV tires are not really suited for these units as the sidewalls are very rigid and stiff.

Tye

[elkhunter11]

I used one many years ago, and they worked okay on steel wheels, but I wouldn't use them for aluminum wheels.

[W921]

It may be OK to remove the tire from the rim but how do you pop the tire back on the rim?

I use acetylene but starting fluid works. People say its risky but ive been doing it all my life but if you blow yourself up don't blame me

[W921]

I used one many years ago, and they worked okay on steel wheels, but I wouldn't use them for aluminum wheels.

Tires dont stick as bad to aluminum as steel. I found aluminum way easier. I'm talking about 15 and 16" truck wheels.
My tire changer I mounted to the floor. I dont know how you could use princess auto changer without mounting to floor

[elkhunter11]

Tires dont stick as bad to aluminum as steel. I found aluminum way easier. I'm talking about 15 and 16" truck wheels.
My tire changer I mounted to the floor. I dont know how you could use princess auto changer without mounting to floor

Running the bare steel bars along an aluminum rim, can mark up the rim.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

I use acetylene but starting fluid works. People say its risky but ive been doing it all my life but if you blow yourself up don't blame me

Bounce the tire like a basketball a few times, should give you enough of a seal to inflate the tire. If that doesn't work, a ratchet strap around the 'equator' of the tire should give you a seal. If you blow yourself up with either of those techniques, I want to know how. :sHa_sarcasticlol:

ARG

[Fish along]

You mean something like this one?
https://www.princessauto.com/en/product/PA0009083163

When I was a kid I used something similar that my father had made. These days I just use a jackall to break the bead and a couple pickle forks to get the tire off/on the rim.

ARG

Yes this looks like what i was thinking about.:)thanks.

[colt45]

I have one of the princess auto ones for quite a few years , used it to change over trailer tires quad tires, works okay , I had to brace up the part that breaks the tire bead off the rims , works good , just takes a little effort on your part

[Grizzly Adams1]

Running the bare steel bars along an aluminum rim, can mark up the rim.

My theory says, for the few times you may or may not have to change a tire, let a pro do it.

Grizz

[lmtada]

It may be OK to remove the tire from the rim but how do you pop the tire back on the rim?

I witnessed a Kal Tire tech throw a tire onto the rim. Lined up tire/rim and like throwing a baseball. He spun the tire down hard on the rim. It slid on, I was shocked. Then did it to my other tire (had two flats same time, Kal tire service truck brought out the tires. Wasn’t cheap, two new tires, plus hotshot out to where I was located and the service. However he was effective. Thank you, Kal Tire). Drove into Edmonton for a balancing. ✅

[big zeke]

I thought about owning such a machine at one time, I see it being fairly busy for about an hour every 2-3 years, gathering dust otherwise. You'd still need to go to a shop for the balance (unless it's trailer tires) and that would be quite expensive

In Calgary we have a local U-Wrench outfit, swapped 4 trailer tires over on their professional machine, cost like $16 (2/tire off and on), job took about 30 mins.

I too have a ton of unused tools filling my garage, I don't need more.
Zeke

[tirebob]

I witnessed a Kal Tire tech throw a tire onto the rim. Lined up tire/rim and like throwing a baseball. He spun the tire down hard on the rim. It slid on, I was shocked. Then did it to my other tire (had two flats same time, Kal tire service truck brought out the tires. Wasn’t cheap, two new tires, plus hotshot out to where I was located and the service. However he was effective. Thank you, Kal Tire). Drove into Edmonton for a balancing. ✅

Actually, the majority of tires I just push on the bottom bead by hand and then use the machined to push on the top bead, but some tires I can get them on entirely by hand just pushing it over.

It is all in the technique. :)

[partsman]

Used one in school, very nice to have a machine, been doing truck and car by hand at home.

Truck tires are way easier than smaller car tires.
Usually worked up a good sweat.😳

[W921]

Every time I take a tire to town its always we are to busy to do it right now so I have to leave it there ,drive home and then come back to town for it. So two trips to town is thirty bucks just for gas. Plus basically a whole bunch of time.
I still run some split rims and I'm getting old to change tires by hand. I'm wondering about bead locks? They look so easy to change and you dont need any special gear except maybe some WD 40 and a rattle gun which everyone has anyway. Only thing I dont like about them is the ones I see wouldn't really look right on an old truck.

[silver]

Just talk to your local tire man, how much for cash? 20 or 25 i'd say.

[IL Bar]

Don’t waste your money. I have a couple of those in 2 shops and they aren’t very handy. They need lots of room to work. Only thing I’ll do is implement tires on steel rims on them. Buy some good irons and fix what you can otherwise take them to a tire shop or buy an air tire changer.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Just talk to your local tire man, how much for cash? 20 or 25 i'd say.

I like your local guy better than my local guy! $40 (cash) and all they did was put a plug in it. I took the tire off the truck and took it to them...

ARG

[TyzToyz]

Every time I take a tire to town its always we are to busy to do it right now so I have to leave it there ,drive home and then come back to town for it. So two trips to town is thirty bucks just for gas. Plus basically a whole bunch of time.
I still run some split rims and I'm getting old to change tires by hand. I'm wondering about bead locks? They look so easy to change and you dont need any special gear except maybe some WD 40 and a rattle gun which everyone has anyway. Only thing I dont like about them is the ones I see wouldn't really look right on an old truck.

I am not aware of any beadlock wheels that are DOT approved. It has been awhile since I checked, so things may have changed since then????

Tye